


Sleeping In A Bed of Stars

by grenthestrawberry



Series: Y'all Need Therapy [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Author Inserts Themselves Into The Story, Author Is Sleep Deprived, CPT, Chiron Is A Massive Father Figure, Chiron Sees The Problem, Demigods Have Terrible Mental Health, Do Not Repost On Other Sites Or Apps, Fix-It of Sorts, Flashbacks, Gen, Mental Health Issues, Nightmares, Part Of The "Y'all Need Therapy" Series, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychologists & Psychiatrists, Psychology, Psychotherapy, The Author Regrets Everything, The Author Regrets Nothing, Therapy, Why Is This Ignored?, mortal, therapist, they need help
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:54:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26836270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grenthestrawberry/pseuds/grenthestrawberry
Summary: After the Second Giant War, Chiron sees changes in his campers.Being a (kind of) immortal Chiron knew to heart how coming out of a war is not easy. Maybe they need help.Help from a therapist...(Or...)Chiron sees the problem that campers SHOULD NOT be completely okay after everything that happened so he gets a psychologist to help them out.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase & Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase & Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood, Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Brick/Jason Grace, Calypso/Leo Valdez, Chiron & Campers, Chiron & Everyone, Friendship Is Important - Relationship, Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Jason Grace & Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, Percy Jackson & Everyone, Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood, Percy Jackson & Sally Jackson, Percy Jackson & Tyson, Piper McLean/Jason Grace
Series: Y'all Need Therapy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1957522
Comments: 6
Kudos: 57





	1. Sight Comes Easy To Those Who Care

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own anything in regards to the Percy Jackson franchise(s). I gain nothing from writing this other than entertainment, satisfaction/relief, and practice in writing.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chiron starts to see the problem. And wants to do something about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW! Slight descriptions of a suicide.

Credit given where it is due, Chiron could confidently say that he wasn’t blind. Being alive for a couple of thousands of years and that effect on you.

It was the cycle of life. It rises, with every hopeful smile and every gleam of the eye. It falls, with every gunshot, every broken stare that never holds. No consistency. 

You learn this. With Chiron’s --  _ offset _ immortality -- the world is old. Not a shiny penny. It was rusty. Chiron is observant; he needs to be. To keep everyone alive, he needs to  _ know.  _

So, how,  _ how _ did he not notice it? 

Chiron was no stranger to the gaze of a person in pain. Demigods, at their last moments of life, wore this stare of agony. Physically. 

And mentally. 

Even if they were not dead or dying, this stare was shown in battles. A strain in their pupils, very tight; not loose. ( It became loose when they let go of life... ) Usually, their eyes were a shade of pink and wet with tears of struggle. And the head, subtle trembling. Of anger, of fear, and of sadness. 

Chiron had no desire for these stares. No, he hated them. He chose not to think or not concentrate on them. 

It was selfish. To not honor Sarah’s, Lee’s, Dan’s, Mari’s, and so many more wonderful half-bloods in their last moments. But he could not bear it. 

Thinking back, it was foolish to assume these stares were meant to only appear on battlefields. There were mental battles, as well. Chiron, himself, had fought many. 

As Dionysus once told him, “all of these monsters, they don’t compare to the ones inside the mind,” 

Chiron had an idea what he meant, Mr. D always had an… odd way of saying things, and this moment occurred around the first years of Mr. D’s punishment. 

“Chiron. Will, he needs to talk to you.” 

Kayla had a grim look on her face. It didn’t suit her typically playful eyes. 

In the short years, Chiron knew Miss Knowles, this was unsteadying. Giving a nod, Chiron wheeled himself in the Infirmary, not without sparing a glance at the dark four am sky.

**. . .**

* * *

The Infirmary was quiet and loud at the same time. It resembled more like an action scene for a movie being played on mute. 

A handful of Apollo campers were busy murmuring to each other from the corner of the room. Even the creaks of the wooden floor seemed to be quietened. All attention of the room had turned to the single bed where the head of the Apollo cabin as well as the medical director, Will Solace stood.

“Will, please tell me you have helped him.” It was a plea, now. An unfair plea to make, given that Will, had those cold eyes he got whenever-

“It’s hard to know,” Will said with a low sigh. “We’ve been giving him nectar and ambrosia, Ian’s body seems to be deciding whether to accept it or burn up. Giving him too much would only worsen his condition.” 

“There’s not a lot I can do, Chiron. He might not make it in the morning.” 

He looks at the young doctor. Truth, remorse, guilt, and stress all covered in his face. Stress cloaked his being. “It’s alright, Will. Your services are all but thanked. A mortal hospital. We need to get Ian to a hospital.”

“No, we can’t.” 

“It’s his only chance, Will. The exposure of our world is of the least concern.” He thought this would reassure him. If they called an ambulance, perhaps get Ian outside the border for easier access. 

Anything. To ensure Ian’s survival. 

“There is no chance! The blood loss is too much, he initially should have bled out, the hemorrhaging was not stopped. Ambrosia and nectar helped but its limitations. I… don’t know what to do, Chiron.” 

The desperation in Will’s voice was heavy. It was weak, vulnerable. So far, Chiron observed Will to be in a silent panic. But that silence was now speaking volumes. 

“It’s okay. I trust your medical opinion more than anything,” he promised. Chiron stood up from his wheelchair - now in centaur form. His eyes attached themselves to Ian. 

He was laid in the bed, face-centered with a mixture of pain and faint struggle. It slowly began to relax. Like he was letting go, go of everything. Ian’s eyes were brown, with the eyelids closed no one would get to know that anymore. The splatters of freckles on his face were still, not scrunched up like they did when Ian smiled. 

It was getting more difficult to tell if his chest was still rising and falling. 

Chiron’s eyes trailed to the bloody bandages tied to Ian’s wrists. To stop the bleeding. That observation choked a bundle of pain to his throat.

“If we moved him, we… might make him bleed faster. That’s why calling an ambulance won’t help.”

It was startling; to hear Will’s soft voice so suddenly. Chiron nodded absently. He forced his eyes to Will’s face. 

Guilt and sadness all but circled the blue irises of the young doctor. “I… I’ll need to tell Briana- she’s the one who brought him in.” 

Chiron’s mind drifted vaguely to the sobbing daughter of Desponia sitting in the waiting room, being comforted by Apollo campers. “No,” he objected. “ _ I  _ will tell Ms. Joyner about her brother. You need to rest.”

It was no secret that Will was overstressed. Four AM and his patient dying next to him had the effect. But a bit of relief was shown as he stopped furrowing his eyebrows. Chiron sat back down in his wheelchair, beginning to wheel himself away, he paused. “No one will blame you, Will.” 

“This has happened before, right? Lee dealt with this. So did Michael. Michael did get to teach me a lot before he… died.” 

“Yes,” he could not believe how he managed to speak. “Olivia de Cruz was the last one to die… this way. It was during Lee’s time as a counselor, Michael helped out. Before you came to camp. Before Percy. About twenty years ago.”

The silence was a brutal thing. Finding nothing left to be said, he reluctantly left the room. Leaving Ian in peace, and delivering the news to a brokenhearted sister. 

It was perhaps five am, now. Peaks of light shone through the windows of the Apollo Cabin Infirmary. Dawn spread through the sky, pushing away eddies of dark blue and purple. The air was fresh of strawberries and clean. It was mocking. 

Throughout the day campers faces’ remained muted. Twisted in pain. The funeral was later that evening. 

No one knew what to say. If there was anything that could be said. 

Chiron looked at the old laptop that he had uncovered from the Big House. He needed to make a call. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to skip this small rant lol.
> 
> Isn't it weird how no one (canonically) talks about how these demigods are not okay and at least need some form of mental health with all that trauma? Well, I notice it. 
> 
> Actually there are so many people (kids && teenagers) that have experienced trauma that it is guaranteed that they are not just fine. I plan to make a series where the characters get professional and trained therapy. 
> 
> I do not have any mental disorder. I am not a practicing, professional, and licensed psychologist, psyiatrist, or therapist. And I do not claim I am.   
> Research is being done for the best accuracy but it may differ. 
> 
> Also, I really want this series to include multiple fandoms not just PO, so please comment below future fandoms that the mental health between the teens is sort of ignored and needs more attention :) 


	2. Strange Phone Calls

“I don’t know.”

Chiron stared at the god of wine, “What do you mean?” 

Dionysus shrugged his shoulders good-naturally. From his seat at the table, the camp director seemed uncertain and distracted more than anything. It had been almost a week after Ian Piloe’s death, and a week after Chiron composed the plan to be acceptable to present it to him.

“The situation is difficult to understand, you know. You found this therapist-”

“Psychologist.” 

Mr. D. blinked. “Yes, that. And you claim that they will be able to help the brats- I mean campers. I need to approve this before you call and apply them?” Chiron nodded. It was mid-afternoon when he decided to present his idea following their pinochle game. 

“Chiron, you of all people, understand what my power does and its effect,”

That was true. One of Dionysus’s domains was madness, the definition of it being: crazy. Chiron wasn’t sure if “madness” was to be associated with the campers. Most likely seeing his discomfort and uneasiness, Dionysus cleared his throat. 

“As the god of madness, I can not only create it but control it. For example, Aunt Delilah-”

“Demeter?”

“-can create plants and whatever else she blabs about in council meetings and she can control it. When mortals - hades, even  _ gods _ go crazy, they lose themselves. What they feel is similar is to what people who are losing themselves for other reasons feel. I’m not saying the half-bloods are going crazy, I am merely stating that I ken what they are feeling.”

Chiron breathed out a strangled breath. He could tell that Dionysus was close to revealing an answer - a  _ clear  _ answer. This was the part to know if his plan was able to be executed. “Will you help? I know you are not fatuous, Mr. D.”

A smirk tugged the edges of his lips. Dionysus leaned back in his reclined chair, a diet coke in hand. Taking a satisfied sip, he smiled. “Did you inform Arista Clambs of this plan of yours?”

“Annabeth Chase and no, I did not,” he admitted. 

The flecks of purple in Dionysus’ irises flickered like the light bulbs in the front porch would. The light in the room of the Big House was dimmed; sunlight that passed through the windows was used as a light, making those violent shades of purple glow.

“I do like being a part of things that that  _ girl  _ isn’t, so yes I’ll aid you. Of course, I’m not like that Dr. Pepper-loving goddess Helena-”

“Hecate,” he said almost instinctively. 

Dionysus rolled his hand, dismissively, ”Whatever. All I know is that she prefers Dr. Pepper thus making her evil. My control of the Mist is nowhere near as sharp as hers so there may be  _ casualties _ .” The god savored the word, eyes crinkled with excitement. 

Had Chiron been a lesser being, he would have some concern with that statement, however, he knew that the god would not cause any unnecessary chaos.

....On second thought- 

**. . .**

* * *

“Turn that music down, Leon! I’m getting a phone call!”

Idly grasping the phone, she tapped the  _ ANSWER  _ button. She pressed the phone to her ear with a slight smile on her face. 

“Good afternoon, is this Dr. Hana Firt?” 

Hana was still surprised hearing her title, it felt like it was only yesterday that she received her Ph.D. Clearing her throat calmly, she responded, “Yes. This is she.”

The voice on the other end - a male - paused before resuming. “Wonderful, we understand that you have filled out an application to work as the camp counselor-”

That part didn’t sound right. “Excuse me, you said ‘camp counselor’ I only applied at schools as a school counselor, did I mishear?”

Another long pause from the other line. Hana sighed and sat down on the white sofa, waiting for a response. 

“I’m sorry, but it appears you  _ did  _ apply almost two weeks ago to work as a counselor here at Camp Half-Blood.”

“Camp Half-Blood?” 

Hana held her hand to her forehead. No, she didn’t remember applying at a camp. Only at the schools in the city. But how else could they have gotten her information? Maybe she was wrong. She could have been tired when she filled out all of those applications…. 

“Dr. Firt?” The receiver’s voice jolted her awake from her thoughts. Like a fishing hook pulling her out of the cold water.

“Sorry, I was just thinking. You were saying?”

“We would like to ask if you would be available for an interview for the job? That is if you would still like the position.”

At last, the cloud of confusion had cleared, Hana took a deep breath in and managed a shaky smile. “Yes, I would. I am available throughout these two weeks.”

“Our earliest date is Saturday at 12 PM - two days from now - will that work?” 

Mentally scanning in her mind if she had anything planned, she shook her head. “No, I should be free. Uh, excuse me, do you have any documents in particular that you need me to bring? And a location… I… don’t seem to remember where Camp...uh… Half-Blood is,” she asked. 

“I can send an email with all the information needed.” At least they sounded confident. Hana had completely embarrassed herself by not  _ remembering  _ the place. “Thank you. Uh… can I ask for your name?” 

“Mr. Brunner,” came the curt reply. After saying goodbye, she hung up. Hana shook her head in disbelief. She had a shot. An actual chance for a job. After all those years of school, working odd part-time jobs, it seemed her career was finally beginning. The closest she felt this was during her two-year internship. 

There were a couple of things strange though. Like the lack of calls, she has gotten about her other applications Didn’t they either email you back saying no interview or something... right? And what type of name was “Camp Half-Blood”? 

With her curiosity creeping suspiciously, Hana pulled her phone and googled  _ Camp Half-Blood _ .

No results.

That couldn’t be right. For seem reason, she found herself unable to question further. Like if there was a force blocking her thinking. Shrugging off worry, Hana stood up and walked towards the kitchen grabbing a Dr. Pepper from the refrigerator.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not me outing myself as a Dr. Pepper fan.
> 
> Mr. D hates me for sure.


	3. The Intended

“Are you okay, Chiron?” 

Chiron startled slightly at the question. He glanced away for a second, gaining a - though forced - smile. “Of course I am, but the real question is are  _ you  _ okay, Annabeth?”

Annabeth did not return the smile. She stood by the door of The Big House, elbows now crossed suspiciously. 

Moments like these made Chiron remember how  _ scary  _ the daughter of Athena could be. 

Awkwardly clearing his throat, he tried to maintain his composure. He straightened his back against his wheelchair.

“I am frustrated, to be honest. I know something is wrong with you Chiron,” she softened a bit, “I know I haven’t been around lately. And I’m sorry if that makes things awkward.”

Annabeth shifted away, turning closer to the door. 

Offering a much more genuine smile, Chiron rolled his wheelchair closer to her. “You’ve been at college in New Rome, Annabeth. I’m not upset that you left, I can’t be when I know you are taking closer steps to your future.”

Grey eyes caught the light. They shined so fluorescently that Chiron could never imagine that there could be a time where they would get murky and lose their light. 

Ian’s brown eyes had a similar effect… and now they can’t gleam anymore. Chiron had seen Annabeth’s grey eyes go dark. The panicking seven-year-old begging and screaming for him to save Thalia.

“Chiron?”

Blinking away the memories, Chiron backed his wheelchair. “I’m okay, Annabeth,” he reassured. 

“Just a bit nervous.”

“Is there another threat? I thought after Apollo’s return things have been going well.” 

He shook his head. “Everything is okay…in the terms of monsters. However, they are more pressing things happening.” Chiron gestured toward the empty chair. Annabeth noticed the message and took her seat. “What do you mean?”

Chiron sighed. He wasn’t planning to tell Annabeth - or any other campers - about the psychologist coming. But he  _ trusted  _ Annabeth and she could represent the opinions of the campers. 

Oddly enough, he wished for Dionysus’s advice. The god had an…  _ unique _ way of thinking. But it held no lies (he could weave truths to deceive). Terribly blunt and harsh, yes. Although, bluntness and harshness are needed. 

If only he hadn’t been attending the farm of strawberries…

“I know you and Percy have only returned just three days ago. But something  _ happened _ . Almost three weeks now, Ian Piloe died.”

Annabeth’s eyes widened. “Ian Piloe? The little brother of Briana?”

“Ian and Briana are both the children of Despoina. The only children of Despoina currently at camp. Thus, causing confusion of them being full-blooded siblings.” Chiron swallowed down a rock of guilt. 

“Gods, Briana must be so lonely. How was Ian killed?” 

“He wasn’t killed by someone or something else.”

Annabeth tilted her head in confusion. Chiron averted his eyes, resting them on the wooden walls of the house. 

“You said he died. That doesn’t make sense-”

“He killed himself, Annabeth.” His voice was barely louder than a whisper. That single fact shook many. The camp had silenced a bit. Similarly just like it did twenty years ago. Only recently, since the return of Annabeth and Percy, had there been attempts at enthusiasm. 

“W...Why?” Chiron drew his eyes back to her. Her hand was shaking. The right one. “ _ Why”  _ was a good question. Perhaps it was one that could never be answered. There could be a million reasons. Or just one. 

No one knew. 

Chiron tried to ask Briana Joyner; a week ago. The conversation led to Briana screaming and crying  _ I DON’T KNOW _ and Chiron couldn’t bring himself to press her more. Nowadays, Briana had tear streaks in her cheeks, and despite being the brilliant archer she was - her hands shook too much to shoot an arrow. 

“No one can say. Ian and Briana came to camp when the quest to go into the Labyrinth was issued. The one you led. They fought during the Second Titan War and against the Romans. It might have been too much.”

Annabeth held a hand close to her mouth. Her eyes squeezed shut. She was trying to hold back a sob. “I… don’t-”

“I intend to get help, Annabeth.” 

Annabeth looked at him. Eyes at their zenith. Exactly like Athena’s proud and curious stare.

“What do you mean?” 

“Today. In a few hours. Someone is coming in. A psychologist.” Chiron hated how his voice broke out into brief sentences. But it was the only way he could keep himself together and talk.

“A psychologist?”

He nodded. Before he said more, he inhaled and exhaled. It was an attempt to make his voice and sentences clearer. “It took a while to find a psychologist. I had to see the date behind who graduated at Columbia Universities and did internships-”

“Wait. Chiron-” Annabeth stared at him, eyes wide. “Did you  _ hack  _ into a University's records? H...How?”

Chiron blinked. “Do you mean if I passed the firewall and gave malware? Because I did. It took a while, but I managed.”

The daughter of Athena pinched the bridge of her nose. “How do you know how to hack?”

“Well, Harley invited me to weekly classes since he was bored, although he called the classes “ _ Boom! Information!”  _ not hacking… Anyways, I found a mortal that seemed promising. With the assistance of Mr. D., we summoned Mist to convince her to work here. She’s no Clear-Sighted mortal, so she would not witness anything from our world.”

“Mr. D. is helping? I can’t help but admit that I am surprised.” Chiron had to smile at that. “He has regards for the campers - believe it or not. But what do you think? I know you plan on staying for the summer but will you see Dr. Firt?”

Chiron’s eyes stayed glued to her. 

Annabeth remained silent for several moments. Her body was still and her eyes caught up in a storm of thought.

“I think it is a good plan, I’m sure many people need it.” she said finally. “I am not sure if some would like to revisit some things.”

“A valid observation. It came across my mind, of course. I was hoping that Dr. Firt would know how to deal with that.” 

Annabeth swallowed, visibly. Her fingers began tapping the surface of the wooden table. Fingers now dancing on the table, ADHD kicking in. 

“When did you say that they were coming in?” Chiron glanced at the clock. “About two hours for their formal interview.” 

She stood up suddenly. Giving a jerk towards the door, she smiled. “I’ll leave you to that. I have a few more questions but I need to make Percy’s not teaching the campers how to do loops on their pegasi. Or lead a revolution of pegasi to the kitchens.”

“Ah, I… see.”

* * *

“Are you even paying any attention?” 

Leon rolled his eyes and attached them back to the T.V. screen. 

Hana facepalmed. How was she supposed to go to her interview, if her idiot brother would not listen to her and remember to turn off the water on the stove? 

“This is serious, Leon. Do you  _ want  _ me to tell mom that you are messing around here? The only reason she even agreed to you moving out was for you to be closer to school and focusing. One word from me and you’ll go back to Elizabeth.”

That won a reaction. A groan came from the sorry-excuse-of-an-adult. “It’s  _ Saturday,  _ Hana. Have you no chill?”

Great. Now she was going to have to deal with a headache during her interview. 

“And that paper for History. Y’know the one due on Wednesday? The one you  _ haven’t  _ started?” 

With Leon living with her to go to college, she was honestly feeling like their mom. Glancing at the clock on the wall, her blood froze. 9:54 AM. 

She wanted to smack herself, right then and there. The drive to Montauk was like two hours. (Since when was there a camp in Montauk?) It was a Saturday. It was almost summer.

All of the factors equaled  _ traffic.  _

“God, Leon. I’m going to be late!” she practically yanked the keys off from their hook. “When I come back, there better not be a fire!” She yelled before slamming the door. 

Giving a forced smile to their neighbors from the apartment across, she waved shyly to Mrs. Hawo. 

Hana looked at her phone. 

9:59.

Her eyes narrowed as she saw the long lines of cars. All of them beeping annoyingly.

And soon, she would join in the bustle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates will be slowing down. I wish to work on Collapsing Worlds and dedicate my time to that project. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone reading, this story is not discontinued just on interval while I focus on Collapsing World :)


End file.
